Five Indian air force personnel killed as An-32 transport plane crashes in Assam

What happened

On Saturday morning around 10 a.m. local time, an Antonov An-32 military transport plane of the Indian Air Force (IAF) crashed while attempting to land at Jorhat airbase in Assam, northeastern India. The aircraft was returning from a routine sortie when it encountered a technical defect shortly after takeoff, according to the New Indian Express. It came off the runway and caught fire upon landing, breaking into several pieces. Thick black smoke rose from the crash site, as shown in images broadcast by NDTV and other media.

Casualties

Five IAF personnel were killed. The IAF identified them as Squadron Leader Prashant Singh, Flight Lieutenant Shubham Kumar, Sergeant Jitendra Sharma, Agniveervayu Khemaram Kumawat and Agniveervayu Danish Alam. A sixth person, believed to be the co-pilot, survived and was rescued but remains in serious condition, a military officer told AFP on condition of anonymity.

Reactions

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh expressed his grief on social media.

“I am deeply anguished by the loss of five air warriors. Their courage and service to the nation will always be remembered with pride and gratitude. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. The nation stands firmly with them in this hour of grief.”

The IAF extended its deepest condolences and requested the public to refrain from speculation pending an investigation.

The An-32 fleet

The An-32 is a twin-engine turboprop transport aircraft developed in the Soviet Union to Indian specifications and manufactured in Kiev between 1982 and 1996. India inducted the type in the 1980s for operations in hot and high-altitude terrain, including remote Himalayan airbases. It can carry up to 7,500 kg of cargo, 50 passengers or 42 paratroopers. The IAF operates around 100-105 of these ageing aircraft, which it plans to phase out gradually and replace with Airbus C-295 transports. The first Indian-built C-295 recently completed its maiden flight from Vadodara.

Investigation

The IAF has ordered a court of inquiry to determine the cause of the accident. Officials stated that crash site management and initial enquiries are already under way, but no preliminary findings have been released. Local media reported that the aircraft had radioed a technical fault and was attempting an emergency landing.

Past incidents

Saturday's crash is the third major An-32 accident in the last decade. In 2019, an An-32 that also took off from Jorhat crashed in Arunachal Pradesh near the China border, killing all 13 people on board. In March 2026, a Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter jet from the same base crashed in Karbi Anglong district, about 60 km from Jorhat, killing both pilots.